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Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

My Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies have the perfect balance of slightly crispy edges and super soft, tender, and chewy centers. I love how the brown butter contributes to the nutty caramel notes and gives the cookies a slight denseness, which makes the cookies have a satisfying, substantial texture. You've love the semi sweet chocolate chunks in each bite and how the flaky salt adds a delicate crunch and burst of saltiness.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 22 cookies
Calories 177kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into pieces (this helps it melt evenly and brown better)
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed light brown will be ok too
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp. whole milk
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2, 4 oz. bars semi sweet chocolate, chopped, divided
  • flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  • Brown the butter: For a detailed tutorial, see this post on how to brown butter.  Allow the butter to cool slightly, ~10-15 minutes. 
    12 Tbsp. unsalted butter
    brown butter in a glass bowl.
  • Beat in the sugars into the brown butter using a hand mixer. 
    1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Add in eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat again.
    1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 Tbsp. whole milk, 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Sift in the dry ingredients and fold just until combined. (Keep stirring, the cookie dough will come together!)
    2 2/3 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • Fold in only 3/4 cup of the chocolate chunks (we will use the rest of the chunks to decorate the tops). Dough should feel like cookie dough, if it feels dry still add a splash more milk and stir to combine. 
    2, 4 oz. bars semi sweet chocolate, chopped, divided
  • Dunk a cookie dough ball in the remaining chopped chocolate so the pieces cover the tops of the cookie dough balls. Press chocolate into cookie slightly just to be sure it sticks. You can slightly flatten them to get a good surface so the chocolate sticks if thats easier! Repeat with remaining cookie dough balls and place 6 cookies on a baking sheet at a time. (Should yield ~22 cookies)
    cookie dough on parchment paper with chocolate chunks on top.
  • Bake for 10-11 minutes (I like to go slightly underbaked for a delicious chewy cookie, the edges should be a light golden brown and centers still a little gooey looking, they will continue to bake on baking sheet when removed from oven).  Swirl a cup around the edges of the cookies to give them a perfect circular look if needed.
    freshly baked cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Rest on cookie sheet just 2-3 minutes then gently transfer to a cooling rack to cool and garnish with flaky sea salt if desired. 
    cookies made with chocolate chunks and flaky sea salt on top.

Video

Notes

Storage: Store these brown butter cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg